Translator: CinderTL

The crowd hesitated, unsure whether to follow the Steady Light Buddha Master's instructions. While they yearned to become his disciples, crawling on the ground and barking like dogs felt utterly degrading and a profound affront to their dignity.

"Woof!"

A sudden bark shattered the tension.

Everyone turned to stare.

There, a woman lay prostrate on the ground, barking like a dog. Her name was Mi Fu, and her figure was naturally voluptuous and curvaceous. Lying prone only accentuated her ample bosom and rounded hips.

Her first bark sounded unconvincing, as if she herself was dissatisfied. She quickly tried again.

"Woof woof woof..."

"Excellent, excellent, excellent!" Xu Geng suddenly burst into hearty laughter. "What is your name?"

Mi Fu's face lit up with delight. "This disciple is Mi Fu, paying homage to the Buddha Master."

"Good! Come here," Xu Geng commanded.

"Yes!"

Mi Fu scrambled to her feet and hurried toward the Buddha Image. After covering about a hundred zhang (roughly 300 meters), the space before her rippled violently, and her figure vanished without a trace.

Xu Geng's figure vanished before the Buddha Image, following Mi Fu's disappearance.

The remaining nine onlookers reacted in diverse ways: some were bewildered, others astonished, and a few secretly disappointed.

"Ah... Buddha Master, please don't do this..." Mi Fu's shrill cry pierced the air from ahead.

The group couldn't see her, only hear her voice.

Next came desperate sobs and tearful pleas.

The nine exchanged bewildered glances, uncertain what to make of it.

"Could it be... is the Buddha Master actually..." Xu Yan trailed off, his face etched with disbelief.

"Silence!" Bao Dan snapped, her brow furrowed in reprimand. "Steady Light Buddha Master is an Enlightened High Monk. How could he stoop to such vulgar acts? Hearing is unreliable. We must not indulge in baseless speculation!"

Xu Yan fell silent, afraid to speak further.

Mi Fu's weeping continued...

Over an hour later, the sobs gradually subsided, fading to a faint whimper.

A hundred zhang ahead, the space rippled again. Mi Fu's figure suddenly reappeared, as if she had been thrown back into existence, landing heavily on the ground.

Her hair was disheveled, and her huddled body trembled uncontrollably. Her tattered clothes revealed large patches of pale skin, marred by bruises that suggested inhuman cruelty.

The nine disciples' eyes widened in shock. Deep down, they had long suspected Mi Fu's fate, but they had stubbornly refused to believe it.

After all, they had endured countless hardships to reach this place, clinging to the hope of receiving guidance from the Steady Light Buddha Master and mastering powerful Buddhist Dharma. Now, it seemed the master himself was nothing more than a ruthless and despicable villain. Who could accept such a betrayal?

Of course, Song Wen's reactions were all a calculated act, deliberately designed to deceive Xu Geng.

At that moment, he grew even more certain that Xu Geng was a twisted psychopath who reveled in manipulating people's hearts.

Simultaneously, he secretly rejoiced that he hadn't rashly attacked when Xu Geng first appeared.

He and Xu Yan suspected they were trapped within an Illusionary Formation, where nothing they saw could be trusted.

A hasty move would only expose them, plunging them into greater peril.

Xu Geng's figure materialized once more before the chest of the Buddha Image.

"There is no need for alarm," Xu Geng said, his gaze sweeping across the nine disciples before settling on Bao Dan. "I merely subjected Mi Fu to a small trial. Unfortunately, she failed. I hope the rest of you will fare better."

"You performed admirably just now," he continued, addressing Bao Dan. "Now, it is your turn to face my trial."

Bao Dan trembled violently, fear flashing in her eyes. She had spoken out in defense of the Steady Light Buddha Master, never imagining it would draw such unwanted attention to herself.

Just as Bao Dan was paralyzed with indecision, Xu Geng's voice echoed again. "There's no need to be afraid. Simply submit to me, and the trial will be easily overcome."

His words only intensified Bao Dan's terror. She knew she was powerless to resist, utterly at his mercy. Trembling uncontrollably, she awaited Xu Geng's announcement of her trial, feeling as if she were awaiting a death sentence.

"Your trial," Xu Geng said, his voice laced with mocking amusement, "is to remove every stitch of clothing from your body."

Bao Dan's face turned deathly pale, her eyes reflecting a complex mix of shock and humiliation.

Earlier, Mi Fu had endured inhuman torment, but at least she had retained some semblance of dignity by suffering behind closed doors. Now, Xu Geng was demanding that Bao Dan strip naked in front of everyone. How could a refined young lady like her possibly endure such humiliation?

"Hurry up and undress," Xu Geng's voice suddenly turned icy. "My patience is limited. Don't test me."

Left with no choice, Bao Dan's trembling hands reached for the sash at her waist. The sash slipped loose, and her outer robe fell open, revealing a plain white undergarment. She raised her hand to her chest and began to untie the fastenings of her inner robe.

Just then, Xu Yan's voice rang out.

"Enough!"

Xu Yan roared angrily, raising his right hand and pointing it at Xu Geng, who hovered in mid-air. "Steady Light Buddha Master, we may be mere mortals, but we still have dignity! You will not wantonly humiliate us!"

Xu Geng didn't seem angered by the outburst. Instead, a sinister smile spread across his face. "This is getting more entertaining by the minute! Now this is what I call fun! Your earlier timid compliance bored me to tears. Hahaha..."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he fixed Xu Yan with a predatory stare.

"You possess extraordinary courage and a heart brimming with righteous fervor. Your blood must taste particularly exquisite."

The surrounding space suddenly rippled, and the landscape around them began to shift dramatically.

The vast plaza, the majestic Buddha Image, and Xu Geng kneeling before it—all slowly blurred like reflections in disturbed water, eventually dissolving into nothingness.

The world transformed!

The nine warriors found themselves in a grand Great Hall.

Before them, Xu Geng sat bare-chested upon a jeweled throne. Around him, several scantily clad women draped themselves languidly across his lap or nestled against his side.

Xu Geng beckoned Xu Yan forward with a crooked finger.

Xu Yan abruptly levitated into the air, drifting helplessly toward Xu Geng.

Panic seized him as he flailed wildly, utterly unable to control his movements. He was completely at Xu Geng's mercy.

As Xu Yan floated before him, Xu Geng smiled mockingly.

"Now, I shall sever your head and drain your blood. The blood of a courageous man like you is the most delicious drink in the world. Are you prepared to die?"

Terror filled Xu Yan's eyes, but he refused to beg. Instead, he snarled fiercely, "You fiend! You will surely meet a gruesome end!"

"Hahaha..." Xu Geng roared with unrestrained laughter. "The power of this venerable one is beyond the comprehension of you mere mortals. In this world, no one has ever been able to kill me!"

With that, Xu Geng twisted Xu Yan's head off his shoulders. He hung the headless corpse upside down, catching the blood in a jade urn.

Xu Yan's severed head rolled to a stop before Song Wen and the others.

Bao Dan stared at Xu Yan's wide-open, unseeing eyes, a surge of grief and fury rising in her chest.

Earlier, when Xu Geng had humiliated Mi Fu, she had scolded Xu Yan and defended the demon. Yet Xu Yan had bravely spoken out for her, forfeiting his life in the process.

"I'll kill you!" Bao Dan screamed, her eyes wild with fury. She lunged at Xu Geng like a rabid animal, claws outstretched.

"Why so angry, beauty?" Xu Geng observed her with amusement. "This venerable one has no intention of killing you. Come into my embrace."

As soon as he finished speaking, Bao Dan suddenly found herself seized by an invisible force, propelling her toward Xu Geng.

Xu Geng wrapped an arm around her waist, his gaze lingering on her delicate features.

"Follow me, and I'll grant you eternal bliss. A mere mortal like him isn't worth shedding a tear over!"

With a wide grin, he leaned in to kiss her face.

A cold glint flashed in Song Wen's eyes. This was the perfect moment to strike Xu Geng down!

(End of the Chapter)

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